Guide for International Students

GUIDE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

A GUIDE TO THE UNIVERSITY AND DAILY LIFE IN GÖTTINGEN WELCOME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GÖTTINGEN

DEAR STUDENTS,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the University of Göttingen. With its 277 years of history and at the same time modern facilities, the university provides you with excellent conditions for research-based education in nearly all areas of knowledge. In addition, our outstanding infrastructure and partnership with research institutions within the Göttingen Campus give you an opportunity to get involved in high-quality research, connecting to scientists from all around the world.

And even after your graduation, you will – as alumni – stay a member of this unique scientific family throughout your future career. Ulrike Beisiegel

President of the university As a town, Göttingen is also an excellent choice. With its vibrant culture and nume rous sports events available, there will always be many things to see and do in your leisure time. I encourage you to take part in the events the university and the city have to offer!

2 LIST OF CONTENTS

1. THE UNIVERSITY OF GÖTTINGEN 6

2. PREPARING YOUR STAY 10

3. FIRST STEPS IN GÖTTINGEN 24

4. STUDYING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GÖTTINGEN 32

5. LIVING IN GÖTTINGEN 52

6. AFTER YOUR STUDIES 64

DEAR STUDENTS,

Thank you for choosing the University of Göttingen as your new academic home. The university currently hosts students from 120 different countries and we are glad to welcome you to our international family. This guide is designed to provide you with all the necessary information to help you find your way at the University of Göttin- gen and make you feel comfortable at your new home for the next months or even years. We hope to make your stay in Göttingen a valuable and exciting experience.

Uwe Muuss

Director of The International Office

3 GÖTTINGEN - YOUR NEW HOME

DEAR STUDENTS,

I warmly welcome you to Göttingen, a city of knowledge! The University of Göttingen, its students, scientists and staff, make Göttingen a special place to live in: the city lives from science and for science. Göttingen is a melting pot that accommodates students from more than 120 different countries from all over the world. It is therefore a city of international en- counters on a daily basis that nourishes and gives space for international friendships and academic networks. Apart from the numerous opportunities for studies and cultural activities, Göttingen offers a great deal of possibilities to arrange one's own leisure time. I hope you enjoy your stay Rolf-Georg Köhler in Göttingen and I wish you all the best in your studies. Mayor

4 Göttingen, with a population of approx. 120,000, is a city where tradition and innovation complement one another perfectly. The city dates back to the Middle Ages and still boasts a unique historic centre with beautiful half-timbered buildings. While the architecture breathes history, the spirit of Göttingen is young and vibrant – thanks to its 28,000 students, more than eleven per cent of them with an international background.

Finding your way around town is very easy as The city also offers a range of outdoor activities the centre is compact and distances from one with its superb sports facilities, parks and ex- end to the other are pretty short. Profit from cellent bicycle routes. Göttingen is surrounded Göttingen’s continuously extending cycle by beautiful countryside, with its rolling hills, tracks, contribute to protecting the environ- forests, and the Harz: the highest mountain ment and do something good for your own range in Northern Germany. There are also a fitness. Otherwise, you can always take a bus, number of smaller towns that are worth a visit, which is free for all students (you just have to which can be seen on a day trip from Göttingen. show your student ID card). The semester ticket allows you to use Lower Saxony regional trains for free.

Situated in the geographical centre of Germa- ny and Europe, Göttingen has excellent travel connections, e.g. Berlin, Hamburg or Frankfurt are only a two-hour train ride away. But you don't have to go that far to take a break, because Göttingen itself offers many possibilities for recreational activities!

Göttingen is a very safe place to live. Moving around, even at night, is no problem at all. Its inhabitants are known for their friendliness and open-mindedness. This attitude is also re- flected in Göttingen’s cultural life. Göttingen offers a myriad of possibilities for recreational activities. The town has three theatres, a symphony orchestra, several cinemas, cafés and pubs, which provide numerous opportunities to meet people and have a good time. Popular annual events include the Night of Culture, the International Händel Festival, the Jazz Festival, the International Literature Festival and many more. The university and its student union sponsor many cultural and recreational events.

5 1 THE UNIVERSITY OF GÖTTINGEN

COMMITTED TO YOUR SUCCESS

Founded in 1737, the University of Göttingen is a research university of international reputation, with a strong focus on research-driven teaching. The university is distinguished by the wide scope of its subjects and excellent facilities for scientific research. Almost all academic disciplines including medicine are represented in the 13 faculties, the exception being engi- neering sciences. Such a broad spectrum of subjects enables you to tackle overarching issues from an interdisciplinary per- spective.

6 FACULTIES

NATURAL AND LIFE SCIENCES, LAW, ECONOMIC SCIENCES, MATHEMATICS AND INFORMATICS SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

Faculty of Agricultural Sciences Faculty of Economic Sciences

Faculty of Biology and Psychology Faculty of Humanities

Faculty of Chemistry Faculty of Law

Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Faculty of Social Sciences Ecology Faculty of Theology Faculty of Geoscience and Geography

Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science

Faculty of Physics University Medical Center CONTACT DETAILS Would you like to take part in one of the exchange programmes? Our database offers you an overview A GLOBAL PLAYER of our partnerships and provides you with contact details at the faculties. The University of Göttingen is well known as http://www.uni-goettingen.de/ a university which emphasises international exchange-programmes cooperation. The university has active agree- ments with almost 500 institutions of higher education in 75 countries and offers a wide variety of exchange and scholarship opportunities for international students and scholars.

WORLD RANKINGS

The University of Göttingen was ranked number two in Germany and number 67 in the world in 2014-2015 by the Times Higher Education World University Ranking.

7 1

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMES

Over 60 Bachelor, Master and Ph.D. programmes are taught in English and ensure that graduates emerge excellently equipped to enter the international job market. Approximately 28,000 young people currently study here, some eleven per cent of which are from abroad.

INFORMATION For more information about GÖTTINGEN CAMPUS the Göttingen Campus please visit: www.goettingen-campus.de The University of Göttingen and the University Medical Center are joined by eight non-university research institutions and form a collabora- tive network across Göttingen’s research campus. ciplines and provides students with access to This network includes the Max Planck Insti- many different libraries, laboratories, facilities, tutes for Biophysical Chemistry, Dynamics and a multitude of campus resources. and Self-Organization, Experimental Medicine, Solar System Research, and the Max Planck Joint professorships working at the university Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic and at these non-university institutions unite Diversity; the Göttingen Academy of Sciences teaching activities with on-going research and Humanities, the German Primate Centre projects, placing students at the forefront of and the German Aerospace Centre. developments in science, technology, metho dologies, innovation and culture. Professors Together these on-site partners form an excep- and scientists take part in the graduate train- tionally vital cooperative alliance in research ing programmes, which also provide a range of and teaching. Their close proximity on campus professional skills tailored to the needs of doc- encourages the discourse of ideas across dis- toral students.

8 THE INTERNATIONAL OFFICE

The International Office is your main point of contact for non-academic issues before your arrival and during your stay in Göttingen. Apart from taking care of administrative issues, the International Office also organises numerous Auflösung zu gering, excursions, cultural activities and events for CONTACTneues DETAILS Bild international students. The International Office is located between the Central and the North Campus, at Von-Siebold Str. 2. The office hours are Monday, Wednes day and Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.- THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT Web: SERVICES TEAM: WHO DOES WHAT? www.uni-goettingen.de/international

NAME AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY CONTACT DETAILS

Michaela El-Omar Undergraduate Courses: +49 551-39 21332 Europe non-EU-states, Central Asia, [email protected] Eastern Asia, except Japan, Korea, Taiwan Postgraduate Courses: Humanities,Theology

Nina Giebel Undergraduate Courses: +49 551-39 21335 Oceania, Western Asia [email protected] Postgraduate Courses: Biology/Psychology, Chemistry, Geo sciences/Geography, Mathematics/Com- puter Science, Medicine, Physics

Simin Wahdat Undergraduate Courses: +49 551-39 21351 Africa, America, Southern-, South-Eastern [email protected] Asia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan Postgraduate Courses: Economics, Law, Social Science, Forestry, Agriculture

Christiane Seack LLP Erasmus/Erasmus+ +49 551-39 21348 institutional exchange programmes [email protected] short time students exchange buddy service

Accommodation Accommodation service for international +49 551-39 21338 Service students (exchange students, bachelor, [email protected] master and state examination programmes)

Alexander Görres Scholarship advisory service for current and +49 551-39 21354 prospective international students [email protected]

9 2 PREPARING YOUR STAY

BEFORE YOU ARRIVE

Before you come to Germany, there are some bureaucratic hurdles to tackle. The administrative steps and the documents which you have to bring with you may differ depending on whether you are an exchange or a degree student, and whether you come from a European Union country or not. Please consult your respective contact person in the Interna- tional Office or at the faculty.

10 STUDYING IN GÖTTINGEN AS A DEGREE SEEKING STUDENT

CHECKLIST: PREPARING YOUR STAY IMPORTANT 2 Receive admission letter Please note that the steps Apply for visa (if required) below are valid for degree seeking students only. Clarify money-related questions Exchange students should · Secure funding for your studies refer to page 22. · Get proof of financial resources (if required)

Apply for health insurance (if required)

Prepare the documents to take with you to Göttingen

Apply for accommodation

Start learning German

Apply for study-buddy/exchange-buddy programme (if desired)

RECEIVING YOUR ADMISSION LETTER

You automatically receive an admission letter (Zulassungsbescheid) from the University of Göttingen after your application has been accepted by the faculty. You will need it in order to apply for your study visa and later on to enrol at the university.

PASSPORT Please make sure that you APPLYING FOR A VISA hold a valid passport (it should be valid at least for Before travelling to Germany, please check the duration of your intended whether you need a visa and, if so, what kind stay in Germany). of visa. The entry requirements will depend on your nationality and the length of your stay in Göttingen.

IMPORTANT

Allow plenty of time for sorting out visa-related issues since processing the visa application can take from several weeks up to several months. Do not enter Germany with a tourist visa!

11 CLARIFYING MONEY-RELATED QUESTIONS

COSTS

The cost of studying at the University of Göttingen is very low since the tuition fees have been abolished. All university students still have to pay semester (administrative) fees, which amount to 290 Euros per semester. Among other things, the fees cover your transportation in Göttingen and Lower Saxony, and allow for reduced canteen prices in Göttingen. For more information, please refer to page 28.

PROOF OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES

Another document that you will need for your Currently, foreign students must prove they have visa application (and also later on for your re at least 8,000 Euros per year at their disposal sidence permit application) is a proof of finan- (about 670 Euros per month). Proof of financial cial resources (Finanzierungsnachweis), which resources can be provided in various ways. The shows that you can finance your studies and following forms are generally accepted: daily living costs whilst in Germany.

1. Your parents submit documents certifying their income and financial assets.

2. A resident in Germany provides the Foreigners’ Office with a guarantee to cover your expenses.

3. You submit a bank guarantee.

4. You receive a scholarship from a recognised scholarship provider.

5. A security payment is deposited into a blocked account (Sperrkonto).

12 Please enquire at the German Embassy/Con- sulate in your country to find out which forms WHAT IS A BLOCKED BANK of financial proof are required for your stay. ACCOUNT (SPERRKONTO) AND HOW TO OPEN IT? Make sure that you have enough money avai lable (ca. € 1,000 ) during your first weeks in 2 Göttingen to cover the start-up costs (rent, flat A blocked bank account is opened at deposit, health insurance, utilities, buying a a German bank. In this account, you bike, etc.). These expenses are normally due be- will be required to deposit a mini- fore you receive your first scholarship payment mum of € 8,040 for one year of studies. or before you are able to open a bank account. You will be able to withdraw no more than € 670 a month from this account. The rest of your money remains blocked during your studies to ensure that you don’t have less than € 670 a month. Please note that the resident permit’s period of validity is calculated from the blocked amount.

Instructions on how to open a Sperrkon- to are provided by the respective banks. Not all banks offer this service.

SCHOLARSHIPS FINANCING YOUR STUDIES

Unlike other countries, German universities Even if you don’t have to apply for a visa, secu normally do not offer scholarships. The most ring funding for your studies is essential! You important scholarship provider for interna should take into account that you will need at tional students is the German Academic Ex- least 700 Euros per month in order to pay the change Service (DAAD). costs of living. For more information about the prices, refer to page 56. You can also apply for scholarships from po- litically-affiliated foundations, religious institutions and business organisations. The following link (www.uni-goettingen.de/fi nancing-studies) will provide you with more ERASMUS MUNDUS SCHOLARSHIP information about various scholarship opportunities. The University of Göttingen is currently involved in nine different Erasmus Mundus In addition, you can consult these pages, DAAD Action 2 projects. Please check whether (www.funding-guide.de) and scholarship por- your university is listed as a partner in tal (www.scholarshipportal.eu), as well as in- any of the projects in which Göttingen is dividual organisation websites or those related involved. To see the available scholarships to the promotion of young talents (such as categorised by country, subject and status, www.stipendiumplus.de). please refer to www.uni-goettingen.de/erasmusmundus

13 EARNING MONEY

For many students in Germany it's quite normal to work part-time whilst studying. Many 2 students work as university research assistants INFORMATION (known as “HiWi” – wissenschaftliche Hilfs- For more information please kraft), others in cafés and restaurants, at trade visit: fairs, as delivery drivers, etc. A part-time job www.daad.de/deutschland/ supplements your income, it can help you to in-deutschland/arbeit/ make career decisions later on and it can make en/9148-earning-money a nice change from phases of intensive academic work. As an international student, you are also allowed to work in Germany. Howev- er, the German labour law restricts how many hours foreign students are allowed to work, since studying must be your main occupation. Please keep in mind that knowing German can significantly increase your chances of finding a part-time job.

IMPORTANT

You will not be able to finance yourself entirely by working part-time while studying! And it is not always easy finding a part-time job.

HEALTH INSURANCE

Health insurance is mandatory by federal law for all students of German universities. There- fore you will need valid health insurance in order to apply for a German visa and to enrol at the University of Göttingen.

If you are a citizen of the European Union, then you are covered by state health insurance in your home country for a stay of up to 12 months in Germany. In order for this to be validated, you will need the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which your home country insu rance company will issue.

If you are not a citizen of the European Union, you will have to apply for travel health insu rance from your country of origin, which will cover the first weeks of your stay in Germany. Once in Göttingen, you should then organise some German health insurance, which is compulsory for non-EU citizens. 14 ORIGINAL AND CERTIFIED TRANSLATIONS OF CERTIFICATES/ REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION (ENGLISH OR GERMAN)

Before leaving for Germany, make sure you get certified German or English translations and legalised copies of important certificates, such as previous academic achievements and language certificates. 2

APART FROM THAT, HERE IS A CHECKLIST OF ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS WHICH YOU NEED TO HAVE WITH YOU:

Admission letter (Zulassungsbescheid)

Valid visa (non-EU citizens only)

Valid health insurance

Valid passport

Sufficient funding

Proof of financial resources

Originals or certified copies/certified translations of the following documents: · Certificate of previous academic achievements (secondary school and/or university diploma) · Language certificates (if necessary) · Confirmation of health insurance coverage from your provider if your policy is recognised in Germany

ACCOMMODATION

ACCOMMODATION SERVICE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

In contrast to some other countries, students at German universities do not automatically receive dorm rooms when accepted by the university. Students have to Göttingen offers many types of accommoda- find accommodation by themselves. tion. However, it is advisable to start searching for a place to stay as early as possible, since the The University’s International Office sup- housing market will be inundated with a large ports international students in finding number of new students also seeking to find accommodation. All international stu- accommodation at the start of the semester. dents are advised to get in touch with the Accommodation Service of the Inter- Different types of accommodation for students national Office as soon as possible. They include: rooms in a student hall of residence, will gladly assist you in finding the right rooms in a private student hall of residence, place for your needs. small apartments, or rooms in a privately shared apartment. www.uni-goettingen.de/accommodation-service

15 STUDENT HALLS OF RESIDENCE

In Germany, the halls of residence are usually not owned by the universities. Most halls are 2 run by an independent organisation called Studentenwerk (Student Union). There is a close cooperation between the university and the Studentenwerk here in Göttingen, and the Studentenwerk offers 4,500 affordable rooms, apartments and flats for students in Göttin- gen. The residential buildings are spread all over the town, ranging from historic sites to modern complexes. The room types also vary. Most of the rooms are single rooms which are unfurnished; they are usually arranged either in groups (in a flat-share like way) or in corridor communities, which means all rooms on one corridor share facilities such as a kitchen, bath- rooms and other communal areas. Moreover, the Studentenwerk also provides single and double apartments and family flats.

INFORMATION You can apply online on the following website: www.studentenwerk- goettingen.de/ onlinebewerbung.html

APPLYING FOR ACCOMMODATION

Due to the very high demand, we highly recommend filling in an application as soon as possible after receiving the admission letter. You can add your name to the waiting list of students seeking to obtain accommodation in one of the halls of residence at any moment, without any obligation to then take up this offer. It is not necessary to be enrolled at the University of Göttingen at this stage.

16 PRIVATE HOUSING MARKET ZWISCHENMIETE There are also rooms and apartments offered for rent on the private market. Zwischenmiete is a good option when you arrive in Germany. It is a short-term 2 Shared apartments (Wohngemeinschaft, or accommodation possibility, with fixed WG) are especially popular among students. start and end dates. The most impor A WG is a living arrangement in which several tant advantage is that these rooms are people share the costs of living in one flat. Each usually furnished. Since the person who person has his/her own bedroom, whereas offers the room plans to come back, he/ the kitchen and bathroom are shared. Most of she leaves their furniture in the room. the rooms are not furnished, so please always And, although subletting is for a limited double check if any furniture is included. The period only, it will give you enough time exception to this rule would be sublet rooms to have a look around for more perma- (Zwischenmiete). nent accommodation once you have arrived in Göttingen.

LOOKING FOR A ROOM ON THE PRIVATE MARKET INFORMATION In general, please do not under estimate the time and effort If you decided to search for a room in a WG it takes to find accommodation (shared apartment), the following websites in Göttingen — especially at the will be useful for finding offers of accommoda- beginning of the semester tion: (in September/October and www.wg-gesucht.de/en/ (in English) March/April)! www.studenten-wg.de (in German) www.zwischenmiete.de (in German) www.uni-goettingen.de/flat-market (mostly in German) www.goettinger-tageblatt.de/Anzeigen/Immo (in German) www.facebook.com/wohnungsmarktgoettingen (in German)

If you are already in Göttingen, then you can find further offers in the weekend issue of the local newspaper (Göttinger Tageblatt) and on notice boards in the university buildings.

It might also be a good idea to check if your de- You can also consult a local real estate agent partment or study programme runs a Facebook (Immobilienmakler). However, it is important group. Facebook groups are a good opportunity to know that they will charge a commission to get in touch with people who are already in fee (Provision) of up to 2.38 times the month- Göttingen or who have been there. They may ly rent (excluding utilities; Kaltmiete), for their be able to give you some hints regarding ac- services. commodation, or may even have heard about a room which is available.

17 UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS BEING OFFERED

To help you read and understand the advertisements, please refer to the list below:

2 GERMAN ENGLISH

2 ZKB a two-room (Z. or Zi.=Zimmer) apartment, with a kitchen (K=Küche) and bathroom (B=Bad)

Abstellraum storage room

Blk. (=Balkon) balcony

DG (=Dachgeschoss) attic floor (most likely directly under the roof)

WC toilet

Du (=Dusche) shower

EG (=Erdgeschoss) ground floor

Kaltmiete (KM) rent without utilities and heating

Kaut. (=Kaution) security deposit (to be reimbursed when you move out)

Möbliert (mbl.or möbl.) furnished

NK (=Nebenkosten) additional costs (electricity, heating, staircase cleaning, garbage fee etc.)

OG (=Obergeschoss) upper floor

Ruhige Lage quiet area

Sout. (=Souterrain) basement

Warmmiete (WM) rent including heating and water

Zwischenmiete sublet

18 GETTING A ROOM

Most WGs want to get to know their future flatmate. For most flatmates it is very important that the people sharing the flat get along well.

Therefore, if you are searching for accommodation from abroad, you can contact the WG via email, introduce yourself and tell them a little bit about yourself (for example, your hobbies or why you are coming to Göttingen). A great means of communication is Skype because in this way you could “meet” the possible flatmates and also see the room. Likewise, Skype offers the WG a chance to get to know you.

If you are already in Göttingen, please try to arrange viewings of the rooms once you have found an offer you like. Since the housing mar- INFORMATIONI ket is very competitive, it is important to look The Studentenwerk offers an illustrated for the most recent offers and react quickly. dormitory dictionary in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Arabic and Chinese, where they explain how life in a dormitory/shared apartment works. It may be worth your while, so why not take a look! See: TRANSFERRING YOUR DEPOSIT - www.studentenwerk-goettingen.de/ WATCH OUT! wwb.html

Be cautious when it comes to transferring deposits. Please be extremely cautious if: HAVING FOUND A PLACE • You are asked to arrange a payment through Western Union or make an- Before moving in, please take the following other international transfer. This usu- into consideration: ally means that it is not possible to find those who receive the money. Contract (Mietvertrag) • The landlord offers to send the keys via Contractual obligations are taken very serious- mail. This is not a common practice in ly in Germany. Once you have signed a contract, Germany. your landlord expects you to fully comply with the duties. Make sure that you understand all • The landlord does not agree to arrange a viewing of the accommodation. the points of the contract, e.g. are you liable for cleaning the staircase or do you have to ren- Only pay the deposit when: ovate the rooms when you move in or out? In • You have seen the accommodation; case of doubt, it is advisable to have someone • You have signed the rental contract; to help you understand the contract before you sign it. • You have received the keys.

In case you cannot go to a viewing of the Deposits accommodation yourself, you could ask All apartments require a security deposit of two a friend or acquaintance to check the of- to three monthly rents (Kaltmiete). This amount fered place for you. is to be refunded at the end of the leasing period, if you leave the place in a good condition. 19 Furniture Moving in Most of the rooms offered for rent in shared When you move into your new apartment or apartments will be unfurnished. Kitchen and room, take a good look around and write down common areas will normally be furnished. Fur- all small damages, if there are any. Have your nished rooms are marked as “möbliert”. landlord sign this list. It will be added as an 2 addendum to your rental contract. In this way, If you decide to rent an apartment for yourself, when you move out, you will not be held res please note that most apartments available ponsible for damages you did not cause. Your for rent will be unfurnished as well. Even the landlord can deduct money from your deposit kitchen will often not be equipped with appli- to fix any damages that occurred during your ances like a fridge, etc. unless specifically indi- stay. cated. Therefore, please always double check what furniture is included.

TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION

If you did not have any luck in finding suitable accommodation before you arrive, you can find temporary accommodation in one of the youth hostels in and around Göttingen, bed and breakfasts, or hotels. Please refer to this list of temporary accommodation offered by the Accommodation Service: www.uni-goettingen.de/Accommodation-General-Information

ACCOMMODATION CHECKLIST: STEPS WHICH YOU CAN TAKE FROM HOME

Contact the Accommodation Service for international students

Apply for a room in a student hall of residence

Check online flat advertisements and arrange Skype interviews with your potential flatmates

Organise accommodation for your first nights in Göttingen

DID YOU KNOW?

The general rule in Germany is that you should keep the noise to a minimum between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. If you have a party, it could be a good idea to let your neighbours know in advance that it may be a little bit noisy on a particular evening.

20 START LEARNING GERMAN

Even if your programme is taught in English, it is still recommended that you learn the basics of the German language before arriving in Germany. This will help you greatly in your day to day life and will make your transition to the new cultural and social environment easier. 2

REGISTER FOR GERMAN PREPARATORY PACKING YOUR LUGGAGE COURSES AT THE UNIVERSITY (OPTIONAL) Clothing and climate Göttingen has a moderate climate. However, It is advisable to take an intensive language the weather has become more changeable course at the beginning or right before the during the past few years. Depending on the start of your study programme. The Institute year, summers can either be very hot and sun- for Intercultural Communication (IIK) offers ny or cool and rainy. In the summer the average preparatory courses in German in March, temperature is about 20°C, although some- August, September and October. For more in- times it reaches as high as 30°C. Winters can be formation, please refer to: snowy and cold or mild and rainy. In general, in www.uni-goettingen.de/iik winter we often have temperatures below zero. Bringing a warm coat and boots is imperative For more information about learning languag- in order to feel comfortable during the win- es in Göttingen, please refer to: ter season. You can, of course, buy these items www.uni-goettingen.de/learn-german here; just make sure that you plan this in your budget. APPLY FOR THE EXCHANGE BUDDY PROGRAMME

Students who would like to be picked up from the train station upon their arrival in Göttin- gen may take advantage of our exchange buddy service. Just fill out the application form and send it to us 4 weeks before your arrival. Please apply via www.uni-goettingen.de/ exchange-buddy.

APPLY FOR THE STUDY BUDDY PRO- GRAMME

Students who would like to receive help and support during the orientation period and their stay in Göttingen can apply for the study buddy programme. German and international students from the same subject area work together as study buddies to support each other with daily life at the university and be- yond. Please apply via www.uni-goettingen.de/ studybuddy.

21 STUDYING IN GÖTTINGEN AS AN EXCHANGE STUDENT

EXCHANGE STUDENTS For more detailed information about all the steps, please refer to www.uni-goettingen.de/ 2 If your home university has an established co- exchange-students. operation with the University of Göttingen, you can study in Göttingen as an Erasmus or part- ACCOMMODATION nership student. For that, first of all you have to apply for the exchange programme at your If you would like to apply for the rooms allo- home university. If you are accepted, you will cated by the Accommodation Service of the be then officially nominated by your home uni- International Office in Göttingen, you will versity and your data will be sent to Göttingen. have to fill in an extra form providing us with In order to be accepted in Göttingen, you have details of your stay. This application form has to prepare a learning agreement, where your to be returned to the Accommodation Service prospective study programme is agreed upon. via email or post within the stated deadline. Please get in contact with the international co- www.uni-goettingen.de/accommodation- ordinator of the respective faculty/programme service in Göttingen.

NOTIFICATION OF ADMISSION

After you have been nominated as an exchange student by your home university, and accepted by the respective faculty/programme in Göt- tingen, you will receive a welcome package with a detailed description of all further steps and procedures, including a data sheet with important dates and the exchange buddy service application form. Students from non-EU countries will also get a letter of admission and an invitation, which are necessary for your visa application.

DEADLINES

The registration deadline for the summer term is December, 1st; for the winter term it is June, 1st. You should register and send us all the required application forms by then. DOCUMENTS TO BRING ALONG TO GÖTTINGEN:

Student identification card or a confirmation from your home university that you are participating in the ERASMUS/partnership programme

Proof of valid health insurance (non-EU citizens only)

Valid visa (non-EU citizens only)

Valid passport

Sufficient funding

22 HOW TO GET TO GÖTTINGEN

BY PLANE AND TRAIN BY TRAIN 2 There are two airports close to Göttingen. Most express trains on the north-south route stop in Göttingen. Please contact your local The nearest is Hannover Airport (www.han- travel agent or check and book directly via nover-airport.de). From there you take a ‘S-Bahn’ www.bahn.de/international/view/en train to Hannover main station (Hauptbahn- hof), where you can transfer either to express BY BUS trains (ICEs) or to regional trains (Metronom) to Göttingen. If you travel by express train then the whole trip takes just over an hour and costs All long distance buses going via Göttingen 38 Euros. If you travel by regional train then the stop at Göttingen main station (ZOB). Check journey time to Göttingen is around two hours and book directly via www.checkmybus.de and the price is 25 Euros. BY CAR The most frequently used airport when travel ling to Göttingen is Frankfurt International (www.frankfurt-airport.de). There are either Göttingen is located directly off the Autobahn direct express trains to Göttingen from Frank- A7, a major north-south motorway in Germany. furt airport, or you can transfer at Frankfurt Since there are two exits for Göttingen, please main station (Hauptbahnhof). The journey to check a route planner. Göttingen takes approximately two hours and the ticket price is 66 Euros. Regional trains are also an option. If you travel by regional train then it takes about 4 hours and the price is 42 Euros.

HOW TO REACH YOUR ACCOMMODATION

When you arrive at Göttingen main station (Hauptbahnhof) you have different options available if your accommodation is not in walking distance:

Take a bus. Please check www.fahrplaner.de

Take a cab (Taxi)

Use the exchange buddy pick-up service (see page 21).

23 3 FIRST STEPS IN GÖTTINGEN

A number of practical matters will need to be arranged during the first days of your stay in Göttingen. This chapter will guide you through the most important steps.

24 YOU MADE IT! WELCOME TO GÖTTINGEN!

After you have arrived, there are several important things you need to do. Please follow the next steps 3 and take care of them immediately after your arrival to ensure that you can start and pursue your studies successfully:

Get health insurance (if necessary)

Open a German bank account

Pay the semester fees

Enrol at the university

Obtain your student ID card

Apply for a residence permit at the Foreigners’ Registration Office (if necessary)

Get a bicycle (optional)

Keep calm: the first steps are always the hardest

INFORMATION For more information about the introductory events, please refer to WELCOME DAY FOR www.uni-goettingen.de/ EXCHANGE STUDENTS introduction-days.

At the beginning of each semester, the Inter- national Student Services organises a Welcome Day designed especially for exchange students where you will be guided through all the required formalities of the enrolment process at the university and registration at the City Hall.

INTRODUCTION DAYS FOR DEGREE SEEKING STUDENTS

There are also introduction days organised for international degree seeking students. However, these do not focus on the formal aspects of your stay in Göttingen.

25 HEALTH INSURANCE INFORMATION Please note: Some private insurance companies will Those who come from outside the European only accept students within Union have to apply for German health insu a week of their arrival in 3 rance within the first two weeks of their stay Germany. in Germany. Health insurance is mandatory by federal law for all students. You will need proof of health insurance in order to enrol at the university and obtain your residence permit.

There are two types of health insurance in Germany: statutory health insurance (gesetzli- THIRD-PARTY LIABILITY che Krankenversicherung) and private health INSURANCE insurance (private Krankenversicherung). For statutory health insurance the terms of contract, monthly contributions and the scope of In Germany, it is common practice to benefits are regulated by federal law. Students have third-party liability insurance (pri- are insured at a favourable student rate, which vate Haftpflichtversicherung) for any at the moment is approximately 80 Euros per unintentional damages or accidents month. you may cause. Although this insurance is not compulsory, it is strongly recom- The terms and conditions for private health in- mended since it covers personal injury surance vary from provider to provider. and damages to other people’s property. Third-party liability insurance is held by We recommend that degree students sign a the majority of the German population contract with a German statutory health insur- and costs around 6 - 10 Euros per month. ance. However, students older than 30 years of age cannot sign up for a statutory health insurance, but have to apply for coverage with a private insurer.

Please note that the student health insurance becomes valid only with the beginning of the semester (1st April or 1st October). Make sure that your travel health insurance is valid until then.

26 REGISTERING AT RESIDENTS’ REGISTRATION OFFICE

Everyone who comes to Germany and plans to stay for more than three months has to RELIGIOUS FAITH register at the Residents’ Registration Office 3 (Einwohnermeldeamt) within a week of en- One of the questions on the registration tering the country. There you will receive the form refers to your religious faith. The Confirmation of Registration (Meldebestäti- reason for this is that, in Germany, reli- gung). Take good care of it since you will need gious communities are entitled to use this proof of registration if you wish to extend the services of the Tax Office to collect your visa, open a bank account or get a mobile “Church Tax” and the Residents’ Registra- phone contract. tion Office will transmit your tax-related data to the tax authorities. In Göttingen In order to register, you will need to present you can declare tax-relevant membership your passport and your Göttingen address. To to the Roman Catholic, the Lutheran or avoid having to wait for a long time until you the Reformed Presbyterian Church. Any are seen, we advise you to go there early in the other religious faith will not affect your morning. registration and taxation. If you move to a new house during your stay in Göttingen, you have to notify the Residents’ Registration Office of your change of address. When you leave Germany you must cancel Address: your registration at the Residents’ Registration Einwohnermeldeamt, Hiroshima Platz 1 Office. (inside the Neues Rathaus)

OPENING A GERMAN BANK ACCOUNT

In Germany, cash payments are still very com- can be transferred – nationally and interna- mon in everyday life. However, many of your tionally. You will also receive a German debit regular payments, such as rent, are automati- card (EC-Karte) for cashless payments and cash cally deducted from a German bank account withdrawals from ATMs or cash points. by direct debit. Note: Large stores, hotels, and restaurants accept international credit and Most banks will allow you to open a student debit cards. Smaller shops, however, might only account if you provide them with your student accept cash or German debit cards (EC-Karte/ documentation. Student bank accounts are not electronic cash cards). subject to any monthly handling fees in most of the banks. It is therefore important to have a current account (Girokonto) with a German bank. This is Prior to your departure from Germany, do not an account from which and to which money forget to close your German bank account.

IN ORDER TO OPEN A BANK ACCOUNT YOU WILL NEED THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS:

Passport

Confirmation of registration

27 PAYING THE SEMESTER FEES SEMESTER TICKET

All students have to pay semester fees of ap- The semester fees cover a Semester ticket, proximately 290 Euros per semester. 3 which includes a train ticket, a bus ticket Make sure that you meet the payment dead- and a culture ticket for all the students. line for the fees as indicated in your admission The train ticket allows you to use local letter. Fees have to be paid via bank transfer. trains within the federal state of Lower For more information, please refer to www. Saxony and surrounding areas free of uni-goettingen.de/fee. Don't forget to state charge. The bus ticket allows you to trav- your name and application number on the el for free with the city buses in Göttin- bank transfer form. You will find your appli- gen, and to Bovenden and Rosdorf. With cation number on the admission letter. If not, the culture ticket, you receive drastically please get in touch with your contact person reduced or even free entrance to cultural in Göttingen. events, such as theatres or museums, as Please note that exemptions apply for ex- well as music events in clubs or cultural change students from particular programmes centres. Please refer to www.uni-goettin- and for students within certain German fund- gen.de/semester-ticket for more infor- ed scholarship programmes. mation about the semester ticket.

ENROLLING AT THE UNIVERSITY INFORMATION Only after having enrolled at the university you Do you have any questions will officially become a student. In order to en- concerning the enrolment proce rol, you have to fill out the corresponding online dures? Please feel free to contact- form, which you can find here:www.uni-goet - the International Student tingen.de/all-applicants. Please note that there Services! You will find their are different forms for students from EU and contact details on page 9. non-EU countries, as well as for exchange students.

After filling out the form you will receive your application number: please save and make a note of it. The next step is to either send the documents that were requested in the letter of admission by post or bring them personally to the International Office.

At the time of mailing/bringing the said documents, please have the semester fees transferred to the University of Göttingen. Your enrolment can only be finalised after the fees have been received. INFORMATION Bachelor applicants don’t have After you have paid the fees and submitted all the required documents, you will receive a con- to fill out any forms at this firmation of enrolment together with a tem- point as you receive your porary student identification card if you have personal number when you enrolled before the semester start. apply.

28 OBTAINING YOUR STUDENT ID CARD

After enrollment every student of the univer- learning management platform, your student sity receives his/her own student card in the email account and the self-service functions form of a chip card. At the same time, you which you can use to re-register for the next 3 will receive your access data for the eCampus semester, print out enrolment certificates or portal, where you will find online facilities for edit your contact data. For more information organising your studies, such as the FlexNow about these services, please refer to page 38. examination management system, the Stud.IP

THE STUDENT CARD ITSELF FULFILS A GREAT VARIETY OF FUNCTIONS APART FROM JUST BEING A MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION. YOUR STUDENT CARD:

Provides proof of student status

Acts as a library card for SUB

Enables you to access FlexNow (online examination services)

Acts as a ticket for regional trains and a ticket for cultural events

Enables you to access to the student sports facilities

Allows you to pay in the cafeterias and canteens

In order to get your student card, you have to First of all, you must have a photo taken at one go to the chip card office located in the Cen- of the terminals provided for this purpose. Use tral Lecture Hall Building (Zentrales Hörsaal- your matriculation number to log in on the ter- gebäude; ZHG) between the lecture halls ZHG minal and save the photo. 010 and ZHG 011. The chip card issue office is open from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. from Mon- You can subsequently collect your finished stu- day to Friday. dent card from the chip card issue office and use all functions of the chip card immediately. You will need your matriculation number and a valid photo identification document (ID card or passport) in order to have the student card issued.

29 APPLYING FOR RESIDENCE PERMIT

If you are a student who needs a visa to enter The first step here is to ask for an appointment. Germany, and you intend to stay in Germany Please contact the Foreigner’s Office either by 3 longer than three months, you have to apply phone or by email in order to arrange an ap- for a temporary residence permit within three pointment. months of entering Germany. You can do this at Contact: the Foreigners’ Office. [email protected] (+49) 551 - 400 2508

IMPORTANT

Please note that the Foreigner’s Office will only accept applications if you havemade an appointment in advance, and that processing applications can take several weeks. So do make an appointment as soon as possible, and enquire about the documents that you have to bring with you.

NORMALLY YOU ARE REQUIRED TO BRING THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS WITH YOU:

The Confirmation of Registration (Meldebestätigung) from the Residents’ Registration Office (Einwohnermeldeamt)

A copy of your rental contract

The admission letter from the University of Göttingen

A copy of your proof of adequate health insurance

Proof of sufficient financial funding

A valid passport and copies of the first page and the visa, copy of entry stamp

One biometric passport photo

A completed residence permit application form requesting a residence permit to be issued

Cash or a debit card in order to pay the fees

30 REGISTERING FOR A GERMAN COURSE AT THE UNIVERSITY

The University of Göttingen offers all students the opportunity to attend German courses of the university on a free of charge basis. Courses 3 of all levels are offered. In order to register for one of the courses, you have to take a placement test. The test will indicate which courses are suitable for you.

An online placement test has to be taken before the start of the semester in the Mediothek of the ZESS – Language Teaching Centre (Goßler- straße 10). The test lasts 30 minutes and can be done from Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Friday from 10 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. Here you will find more detailed information about the placement tests: www.uni-goettingen.de/placement-test. Students with no knowledge of German do not need to take a placement test. Simply please You can apply for the course of your level via register directly via StudIP for an A 1.1 (Grund- StudIP after the start of the semester. stufe 1) course.

GETTING A BICYCLE

As you will notice very soon, almost everyone An inexpensive new bike costs at least 150-200 in Göttingen seems to own a bike. Since this Euros. Cheap offers for used bikes range from is the cheapest, most convenient and an en- 30 to 80 Euros and are advertised on several vironmentally friendly way of transportation, university notice boards or on the online mar- it is certainly a good idea to buy one. You can ket. For more information, please refer to www. reach almost every place in Göttingen within a uni-goettingen.de/bicycle, where you will find 15 minute bike ride. all the information you need regarding bikes, including cycling rules.

31 4 STUDYING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GÖTTINGEN

The first steps are always the hardest – even at a university. In this chapter you will find information about the way the studies in Göttingen are organised, as well as an overview of the services and infrastructure of the university.

32 ORIENTATION DAYS AT THE FACULTIES INTRODUCTION DAYS FOR FOREIGN STUDENTS

Separate Orientation Days (abbreviation: At the beginning of each semester, the 4 O-Phase) are held at every faculty, and they are International Office of the university organised by students of that faculty. Like the hosts Introduction Days for international Introduction Days of the International Office, students. Participation is strongly re the O-Phase is usually held before the courses commended. begin. In order to take part, it is advisable to arrive in Göttingen before your courses start, A team of student tutors will show you since the O-Phase is something you should not around the campus, the faculties, and miss when starting your first semester. the leisure facilities. Furthermore, there is a pub evening and other events which The O-Phase will provide you with first-hand are both interesting and fun. This is a information about your subject, the university great opportunity for you to get to know and life in Göttingen. The fun side is certainly the city of Göttingen and the universi- not neglected since first-semester parties and ty, to become familiar with your “new tours of the local pubs are just as much a part home”, and to meet fellow international of the O-Phase as understanding the examina- students! tion regulations. You will find detailed information about the times and programmes of your O-Phase on the website of your programme/ faculty.

HOW ARE YOUR STUDIES ORGANISED?

ACADEMIC CALENDAR WINTER SEMESTER 2015/2016:

The academic year is divided into winter and Beginning of semester: summer term, with each period lasting six 1st October, 2015 months. During these terms there are periods End of semester: when lectures are held, and periods when exa- 31st March, 2016 minations are taken, as well as breaks and public holidays. Courses usually run over 14 weeks, Period of lectures: followed by a two-week examination period. 26th October, 2015 – 12th February, 2016 Students are expected to use the time between these periods for independent studies. Many students, however, also take on jobs, complete internships or travel abroad during semester breaks. INFORMATION The pagewww.uni-goettingen. de/dates-study always has up to date information on the academic calendar.

33 PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN LOWER SAXONY

2015 2016 4 New Year's Day (Neujahr) 1st January 1st January Good Friday (Karfreitag) 3rd April 25th March

Easter Monday (Ostermontag) 6th April 28th March

Labour Day (Tag der Arbeit) 1st May 1st May

Ascension Day (Christi Himmelfahrt) 14th May 5th May

Pentecost Sunday (Pfingstsonntag) 24th May 15th May

Pentecost Monday (Pfingstmontag) 25th May 16th May

German Unity Day (Tag der deutschen Einheit) 3rd October 3rd October

1st Christmas Day (1. Weihnachtstag) 25th December 25th December

2nd Christmas Day (2. Weihnachtstag) 26th December 26th December

CREDITS AND GRADES: MEASU- RING YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS

Most study programmes at the Univer- sity of Göttingen are structured in mo dules and the corresponding ECTS-Cred- it Points. This system provides a way of measuring the students’ workload, com- paring learning outcomes, and transferring it to other institutions and countries. The number of credits you can achieve per class and module is given in the directory of modules of each course. 1 ECTS = COURSE OF STUDY 30 hours of workload. As a rule, students need to complete 180 credits to gra Your studies are divided into modules, which duate with a Bachelor’s degree, and 120 are study units that consist of thematically-re- credits for a Master’s degree. In addition lated courses. Modules normally consist of sev- to receiving ECTS, the student’s perfor- eral courses of different type during the lecture mance is also graded. Lecturers evaluate period (e.g. lectures and seminars). Each mod- the quality of a student’s work by giving ule involves a workload of two to ten hours grades (1 to 5). Grade “1” is the best, whilst per week. The workload needed to successfully “5” corresponds to “fail”. In a few cases, complete a module is measured in credit points, e.g. language courses, capital letters (A to according to the European Credit Transfer and F) are used instead of numbered grades. Accumulation System (ECTS). Students receive In this case, “A” represents an excellent credits for modules that they have successfully and “E” a sufficient, but not really satis- completed. factory, performance. If you receive the grade “F”, then it means that you have Some modules are offered as block courses. failed the class.

34 TYPES OF COURSES STUDY REGULATIONS Each of the academic subjects has its own set of rules, which The University of Göttingen offers different you can find in the study regula types of courses. Each of these courses fo- tions (Studienordnung). They -are cuses on different skills and has a particular published online in the A to Z approach to learning and to disseminating information. List which is available here: www.uni-goettingen.de/subjects Lectures (Vorlesungen) In lectures, university professors generally speak on a specific topic. They provide a comprehensive overview on, or an in-depth knowledge of, one topic. Upfront teaching is the most common teaching style. Students receive credits for attending lectures and often have to present what they have learned in written exams at the end of the semester.

Seminars (Seminare) Seminars are an interactive form of learning and require active student participation. Usu- ally, oral presentations and/or papers are provided by students and followed by a discussion with peers and a review by the lecturer. Students earn credits if they present a paper, hand in assignments, and/or pass a written exam. To ensure that you can attend a certain seminar, you might have to sign up prior to the beginning of the lecture period since the Excursions and field trips (Exkursionen) number of students per seminar is limited. Excursions are trips organised by a group of Please ask the academic advisor of your pro- students which are made for educational pur- gramme for the procedure of registration in poses. They are often an adjunct to a longer your subject. journey or visit to a place, e.g. to observe na tural or geographical phenomena or features. Tutorials (Tutorien) Short excursions are called field trips. Tutorials are headed by advanced students (tutors) and deepen the knowledge taught in Laboratory work (Laborpraktikum) lectures and seminars. The groups in tutorials Particularly in the natural sciences, students are often small and the atmosphere is person- work in laboratories, applying appropriate pro- al. cedures and using the necessary equipment. In this way, they learn how to conduct scientific Problem Sessions (Übungen) practices (e.g. analyse chemical substances or Problem sessions are held by university teach- use tests). ers, lecturers or research assistants and have a similar approach to tutorials. They are com- Online teaching modules mon in the natural sciences. Online teaching, also called E-learning, is a type of course in which web-based or online-educa- Colloquium (Kolloquium) tion plays a major role. It might, however, also In colloquia, students present their current involve face-to-face interaction. Often, stu- scientific research (e.g. Bachelor’s, Master’s, or dents take lectures or seminars via the Inter- doctoral thesis) and discuss it with their peers net and contribute to this class through blogs, and interested scholars. emails and chats.

35 EXAMINATIONS

Examinations are usually taken within the first two weeks after the last day of lectures. Failed 4 exams can be retaken at a later date. At the University of Göttingen, failed examinations can be repeated twice. Bachelor's and Master's thesis that are graded or qualify as “non-sufficient” may only be repeated once.

The framework and details of a particular as- sessment as well as examination types are in- troduced and explained by the responsible lecturer at the beginning of the semester.

TYPES OF EXAMINATIONS

Oral exams Written exams During an oral exam, an examiner asks you Exams frequently last between 30 minutes and questions in spoken form. Students have to an- several hours, and are intended to test a stu- swer the question in such a way as to demon- dent's ability to recall, assimilate and apply the strate sufficient knowledge of the subject in knowledge gained from a seminar or lecture order to pass the exam. Oral exams can range course. Many examiners will test the students from a straightforward question and answer by requiring a mixture of both short and long format, to more problem-based, or hypotheti- answers, and/or multiple-choice questions. cal scenarios which may evaluate not only academic knowledge but also your interperson- Giving a presentation / Presenting a paper al communication, diagnostic and/or creative During oral or written presentations, students abilities. present reports on a project or particular topic and summarise scientific publications. They often evaluate other scholars’ approaches and classify them according to state-of-the-art knowledge in a particular field. The correctness and appropriateness of content, structure, and style are assessed, as well as the way in which a discussion is led following a presentation.

Project work Project work is a way of introducing real and practical problems as well as independent study to education. Two or more students col- laborate and identify a problem or question they wish to solve or explore. The workload is then shared in the group and carried out inde- pendently. The outcome, however, is the result of the collaboration and presented as a project report and/or a paper.

36 Cheating The Rules and Regulations for studying at PLAGIARISM the University of Göttingen (Allgemeine Prü- fungsordnung/APO) state that if a student Plagiarism is regarded as a crime and attempts to influence examination results to both staff and students are responsible 4 his/her own, or somebody else’s, advantage for preventing plagiarism. The standards through deception or by using material that is of scientific practice include using cita- not permitted, then the relevant examination tions, references and acknowledgements. results are considered “not satisfactory” (5.0) or These standards are not met by copying as a “fail”, respectively. someone else’s work without indicating the source. The University of Göttingen is committed to assisting staff and students in maintaining high standards of academic integrity, and to minimising the possibility of students submitting plagiarised material.

ONLINE SERVICES

Lots of information and services related to your example, can be easily accessed from your own studies are available online. Search facilities computer around the clock. Many seminars are for lectures, registration for examinations, and also supplemented by material available on- the printing of study-related certificates, for line. eCAMPUS STUDENT PORTAL eCampus (electronic campus) is a portal for students in Göttingen and the central access point for online services relevant to studying. Logging on to the eCampus portal automatically triggers a login onto the systems, so that most services (self-service functions; FlexNow; Stud.IP; UniVZ and email account) can be used immediately. To access eCampus, please use the following link: www.ecampus.uni-goettingen.de

UNIVZ

UniVZ, the course and people’s directory, answers the following questions: What courses are offered?

Who teaches the class?

Where and when is the class being held?

37 STUD.IP FLEXNOW EXAM MANAGEMENT

Stud.IP is an Open Source Learning Manage- FlexNow is used to administer exam assess- ment System that helps you to manage and ments for all Bachelor and Master degree participate in your classes. Stud.IP also do courses. It allows you to register up to seven 4 cuments courses available in the current course days prior to the exam date and cancel your catalogue (exception: University Medical Cen- registration 24 hours before your exam, view ter). Through this platform you can download your grades and credits, and to create a sum- and share learning material, discuss course mary (PDF file) of your attainments to date. contents, or create your own content. You can register for your exams online from To be able to make use of Stud.IP’s full set of wherever you are, without visiting the exam- features, you have to register and login to the ination office. Confirmation of your registra- system. For this purpose, the university pro- tion is sent to you by email. Also, you receive an vides a username and password for each stu- email as soon as the exam results are released dent. This username and password is the same by the examination office. Please refer to this one you use for your student email-account or page www.uni-goettingen.de/en/45582.html when you register for examinations through for further information. FlexNow. For more information on Stud.IP see: www.studip.uni-goettingen.de

INFORMATION ACCESS TO YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT You can obtain an online summary of your achievements To log on to your email account, go to http:// within 13 months of ex-mat webmail.uni-goettingen.de. Type in "ug-stu- riculating from the university.- dent\" directly followed by your username, e.g. Make sure that you retrieve "ug-student\firstname.lastname". Then type them on time. in your StudIT-password (not the library password) and press ok.

IMPORTANT

Your university email account will be the ONLY account to which the university will send emails and notifications once it is created. You will receive updates on your classes, notices in case the lecturer is ill, messages related to the payment of your tuition fees, or messages from the examination office. It is therefore ESSENTIAL that you check your university emails REGULARLY, or have them forwarded to a WORKING private account.

38 UNIVERSITY EMAIL ACCOUNT INTERNET ACCESS

Each student of the University of Göttingen Your username and password allow you to login receives free access to the Internet and a free on any university computer, and also to use high email account together with the student ID speed wireless connection via GoeMobile and card. This account is created automatically, Eduroam with your own laptop or smartphone 4 usually using the student’s first and last name. on campus.

The password is identical to your password for In order to access the Internet via GoeMobile, self-service functions and the examination ser- all you need is a studIT account. After connect- vices FlexNow. ing to the network, you will be led directly to the portal page of GoeMobile for authentica- tion. You then have to give your student email address as your username in the first field, the password of your student account in the se cond field, and tick the box asking you to accept the terms of use.

INFORMATION At the University Me dical Center the wireless- network GoeMobile is not available. Please use eduroam instead!

UNIVERSITY INFRASTRUCTURE

GÖTTINGEN STATE AND UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Göttingen State and University Library (SUB Göttingen) is one of the five largest libraries in Germany. It is accessible free of charge to all students and academics and offers a broad range of services for study and research purposes.

The library has nine locations: mostly you will use the Central Library on the University Central Campus. Open Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., the Central Library offers you all the services of a modern academic library within 22,000 square metres. The historical building, where Goethe and the brothers Grimm once worked, houses the library’s historical collections and is used as an exhibition and lecture venue. In addition, seven divisional libraries offer you access to subject-specific literature and information. 39 DIVISIONAL LIBRARIES:

The following eight divisional libraries offer you a wider selection of subject-specific books, as well as a wide range of working facilities:

4 Chemistry Divisional Library (Tammannstrasse 4)

Cultural Studies Divisional Library (Heinrich-Düker-Weg 14)

Economics and Social Sciences Divisional Library (Platz der Göttinger Sieben 3)

Forestry Divisional Library (Büsgenweg 5)

Medical Library (Robert-Koch-Str. 40)

Physics Divisional Library (Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1)

Waldweg Library – Pedagogy, Philosophy, Psychology, and Sports Sciences (Waldweg 26)

In addition to the Göttingen State and University Library, the university has over 100 specialised academic libraries throughout the university´s institutes, faculties and seminars. Please refer to the faculties' webpages for more information.

LEARNING AND STUDY BUILDING (LSG) RELAXATION AREA IN THE VG The Learning and Study Building is a part of BUILDING Göttingen’s State and University Library and it offers you around 650 study places for individ- If you need a break from learning, you can ual undisturbed reading, as well as for various make yourself comfortable in the relax- forms of group activities. In addition, there is ation area that you will find in the base- a lecture hall, a room with individual cubicles, ment of the Verfügungsgebäude at the a family area which offers child care free of Central Campus (VG; Platz der Götting- charge on Saturdays, recreation and lounge er Sieben 7). The relaxation area is a big areas, and open working spaces. You can open room which gives you everything book these individual and group study rooms you need in order to temporarily switch through eCampus. off from your studies. www.uni-goettingen.de/lsg

Computer and IT services In cooperation with StudIT and the GWDG, the Learning Resources Centre in the Central Li- brary offers you a wide array of IT services. You can use the equipment provided for printing, scanning, editing files and holding video con- ferences. The Centre’s staff are happy to give you advice and technical support. The Learning Resources Centre is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on working days and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the weekend.

Individual and group study spaces All the libraries also offer individual and group study spaces; many of them provide technical equipment and guarantee a silent atmosphere in which to work. 40 Library card ORDERING BOOKS No registration is necessary to use the library resources and services on site in the library. Did you know that you can order books, However, you will need a library card to order journals, etc. from other libraries to be 4 items from the stocks, to check them out at the delivered to Göttingen? Göttingen State self-issue terminals, and to reserve items cur- and University Library offers an inter-li- rently on loan. Your library account enables you brary loan and delivery service for nu- to view and renew your loans and manage your merous books, journals and documents reservations. which are located in other libraries in Germany or worldwide. Just ask the li- Your Göttingen student card is also your library brary staff for more information during card. Your library card number is given on the your visit or check their website www. back of your student ID chip card ("0007"+ sub.uni-goettingen.de. matriculation number, e.g. 00071234567). Your initial password will be assigned to you upon matriculation.

The library also offers orientation tours for new users. For more information, please refer to the library website www.sub.uni-goettingen.de.

ZESS - LANGUAGE TEACHING CENTRE

The central contact point for students interested in learning languages is the Language Teaching Centre (ZESS). A number of languages are offered on a free of charge basis, namely Ar- abic, Chinese, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Rus- sian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish. Please note that you have to take a placement test in order to be able to register for a course. This can be done via Flexnow.

Classes normally start in the same week that the lectures start. The list of courses which are offered in a particular semester, as well as starting dates and other information, can be found in the UniVZ. In order to access information about language courses, please go to Vorlesungsverzeichnis - Zentrale und gemein same Einrichtungen - Zentrale Einrichtung für Sprachen und Schlüsselqualifikationen -Fremd- sprachen.

More information about the courses (to date in German) can be found at www.uni-goettingen. de/de/423445.html

41 ZESS INTENSIVE COURSES LONG NIGHTS OF POSTPONED If you want to use the semester break to learn a TERM PAPERS new language or to improve your already exis tent language skills, don’t miss the chance to Since 2011, the International Writing Cen- 4 join one of the intensive courses held by ZESS. tre organises “Long nights of postponed Registration has to be done via FlexNow as well. term papers” (Lange Nacht der aufges- International Writing Centre chobenen Hausarbeiten), where all the students who have unfinished term pa- To write an academic text means more than pers/assignments receive support (writ- simply putting your thoughts down into writing and brain-storming tips, workshops) ing. Many requirements must be fulfilled when from the Centre’s staff. Find more infor- writing an academic assignment. The Interna- mation (in German) here: tional Writing Centre offers writing peer tu- toring in English to students from all faculties. www.schreibzentrum.uni-goettingen.de Both native and non-native speakers are welcome.

UNIVERSITY CANTEENS

The cafeterias or canteens (Mensa) are among one of the most important university facilities. Here you can meet friends, have a bite to eat, or read a book over a cup of coffee between lectures.

CANTEEN ADDRESSES

Zentralmensa Platz der Göttinger Sieben 4

Mensa am Turm Goßlerstraße 12 b

Nordmensa Grisebachstraße 10

Mensa Italia Rödererstraße 15 a

Kantine MPI Am Faßberg 11

Mensa im Klinikum Robert-Koch-Str. 40

You can check the menu of the day in the canteen of your choice online (www.studenten werk-goettingen.de/speiseplan.html) or by using a canteen app (Mensaplan GÖ).

42 MEALS AT THE UNIVERSITY CANTEENS (BASED ON 2014 PRICES)

Soup (Eintopf) 1,45 €

Menu 1 2,35 €

Menu 2 2,60 €

Vegetarian 2,30 €

Vegan 2,30 €

All students can use their student card for cashless payments in canteens and cafeterias. The card can be (re)charged at a chip card top- up terminal either by paying cash or by direct debit (EC-Card). The top-up terminals can be found in every canteen.

CAFETERIAS

There are a lot of cafeterias throughout the university’s institutes. They all offer coffee, tea, water and snacks at reasonable prices. In some of them you can also find warm meals.

Café Central The building of the Zentralmensa, Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5

Café Campus Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5

Cafeteria SUB Library building, Platz der Göttinger Sieben 1

Bistro am Turm The Mensa am Turm building, Goßlerstraße 12

CaPhy (Physics) Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1

Cafeteria HAWK Büsgenweg 1a

Coffeebar ins Grüne (Nordmensa) Grisebachstraße 10

AUTONOMICUM

There is a self-managed café and recreation room located at the central campus - Autonomicum. Apart from coffee machines and tea, here you can also find an info-corner with flyers and brochures, a play corner for kids, a bookshelf, a fridge, as well as a computer to access your university account. It is funded through a do- nation box. You will find the Autonomic- um on the ground floor of the Blauer Turm.

43 4

SPORTS

Sport is an important part of student life at different types of sports on offer: www.hoch- the University of Göttingen. The University schulsport.uni-goettingen.de/cms/sportarten. Sports Centre (Hochschulsport Göttingen) of- html. The Sports Centre is situated within a fers more than 80 different types of sport, so ten minute bicycle ride from either the North there really is something for everyone! Among Campus or the city centre. The sports centre is the sports facilities are an indoor swimming open seven days a week. In order to use the fa- pool with saunas, a large fitness centre, excel- cilities, you have to become a member and pay lent climbing walls and more than 8 different a monthly membership fee of 2 Euros. For more gyms. Sports halls and sports equipment can information, please refer to: www.hochschul- be hired. Here you will find the list of all the sport.uni-goettingen.de

44 14

17 16B 15 19 North Campus 12 4 20 23B

17 16B 15 19 North Campus 12

20 23B

24 University Medical 9 Center Göttingen

24 1 University Medical 9 Friedrichstraße Center Göttingen Goßlerstraße

Friedrichstraße

13 8 1 Friedrichstraße University Buildings (selection) Goßlerstraße 1 International Office (Von-Siebold Str. 2) Friedrichstraße 21 2 Office of Student Affairs (Wilhelmsplatz 4) 10 28 13 5 Central 11 8 3 Lektorat Deutsch (Käte-Hamburger-Weg 6) Campus University Buildings (selection) 26 7 4 SUB (Platz der Göttinger Sieben 1) 1 International Office (Von-Siebold Str. 2) 18 3 5 LSG (Platz der Göttinger Sieben 3a) 21 2 Office of Student Affairs (Wilhelmsplatz 4) 22 10 28 6 6 ZESS (Goßlerstraße 10) 27 5 Central 11 3 Lektorat Deutsch (Käte-Hamburger-Weg 6) Campus 26 7 4 7 SUB ZHG (Platz (Platz der Göttinger der Göttinger Sieben 1) Sieben) 4 18 3 5 8 LSG Aula (Platz am der Waldweg Göttinger Sieben (Waldweg 3a) 26) 22 6 ZESS (Goßlerstraße 10) 27 6 9 Sport Center (Sprangerweg 2) 16A 7 ZHG (Platz der Göttinger Sieben) 4 8 Aula am Waldweg (Waldweg 26) University Canteens 16A 9 Sport Center (Sprangerweg 2) 10 Zentralmensa (Platz der Göttinger Sieben 4) University 11 Mensa Canteens am Turm (Goßlerstraße 12b) 10 Zentralmensa (Platz der Göttinger Sieben 4) Railway 12 Nordmensa (Grisebachstraße 10) station 11 Mensa am Turm (Goßlerstraße 12b) Railway 12 13 Nordmensa Mensa Italia (Grisebachstraße (Rödererstraße 10) 15a) station 13 14 Mensa Kantine Italia (RödererstraßeMPI (Am Faßberg 15a) 11) 2 14 Kantine MPI (Am Faßberg 11) 2 Faculties Faculties 15 15 Agricultural Agricultural Sciences Sciences (Büsgenweg (Büsgenweg 5) 5) 16 16 A A Biology Biology and Psychologyand Psychology (Wilhelm-Weber-Straße (Wilhelm-Weber-Straße 2) 2) 16 16 B B Biology Biology and Psychologyand Psychology (Grisebachstraße (Grisebachstraße 6) 6) 17 17 Chemistry Chemistry (Tammanstrasse (Tammanstrasse 4) 4) 18 Economic Sciences (Platz der Göttinger Sieben 3) 18 Economic Sciences (Platz der Göttinger Sieben 3) 19 Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology (Büsgenweg 5) 20 19 Geoscience Forest Sciences and Geography and Forest (Goldschmidtstraße Ecology (Büsgenweg 3) 5) 29 21 20 Humanities Geoscience (Humboldtallee and Geography 17) (Goldschmidtstraße 3) 29 23A 22 21 Law Humanities (Platz der Göttinger (Humboldtallee Sieben 6) 17) 23A Mathematics (Bunsenstraße 3 - 5) and 23A 22 Law (Platz der Göttinger Sieben 6) 23B Computer Science (Goldschmidtstraße 7) 24 23A Medical Mathematics Center (Robert-Koch-Straße (Bunsenstraße 40)3 - 5) and 25 23B Physics Computer (Friedrich-Hund-Platz Science (Goldschmidtstraße 1) 7) 26 24 Social Medical Sciences Center (Platz der(Robert-Koch-Straße Göttinger Sieben 3) 40) 27 Theology Physics (Platz (Friedrich-Hund-Platz der Göttinger Sieben 2) 1) 25 Further 26 FacilitiesSocial Sciences (Platz der Göttinger Sieben 3) 28 27 Studentenwerk Theology (Platz (Platz derder Göttinger Göttinger Sieben Sieben 4) 2) 29 Foreigners’ Registration Office (Hiroshimaplatz 1- 4) Further Facilities 28 Studentenwerk (Platz der Göttinger Sieben 4) 29 Foreigners’ Registration Office (Hiroshimaplatz 1- 4) 45 BEING ACTIVE AND CREATIVE

For those of you who like to sing, dance, perform, create – Göttingen offers countless activities to 4 indulge in your hobby.

DANCING SINGING AND PLAYING INSTRUMENTS

Whether it’s tango, salsa, belly dancing, hip If you are interested in joining a choir or playing hop, Indian dance or any other dance – you are an instrument in an orchestra, you can join the bound to find it in Göttingen! The Studenten- University Choir and Orchestra, which are open werk and the University Sports Centre offer a to all those who have experience in singing or wide range of courses. The cultural centres KAZ playing instruments and classical music. Audi- and Musa have a number of courses as well. tions are held at the beginning of the semesters at the Casa Musica (Herzberger Landstraße 2), www.studentenwerk-goettingen.de/kurse.html where you are asked to perform a piece of your www.hochschulsport.uni-goettingen.de/cms/ choice. Particular dates are announced online. sportarten.html www.uni-goettingen.de/unichor; www.kaz-goettingen.de/tanz-und-musik www.uni-goettingen.de/uniorchester

UniCante, a Studentenwerk choir, is open to those who like singing and prefer modern songs to classics. UniCante’s repertoire mostly consists of a-cappella arrangements of popular pop and rock songs. You can join them at the beginning of each winter semester. www.unicante.org

Those who like playing jazz and funk are welcome to join the Studentenwerk’s UniRoyal. www.uniroyal-jazz.de

Those who want to go for Latin percussion, Af- rican drums or Spanish guitar, can join one of the KAZ cultural centre’s workshops. www.kaz-goettingen.de/tanz-und-musik

Have you ever heard of a concept of international singing? People from different countries teach each other songs from their home countries. Everyone is welcome to join: www.kaz-goettingen.de/buhne-und-gesang

46 PERFORMING IN THEATRES

Most plays in the ThOP (Theater im OP) – the theatre in the former surgery lecture room – are produced and performed by students, and therefore it is a great opportunity to try performing out for yourself! Each semester, on the first Wednesday, upcoming plays are presented and you can join the ThOp team, either as an actor in one of the plays, or at the back stage. No experience is necessary: your enthusiasm is the only prerequisite!

Those who don’t speak German can take part in an English Drama Group production. And those who prefer writing plays to performing have an opportunity to participate in a script contest (your play has to be written in German, though). www.thop.uni-goettingen.de

TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS

Do you like taking photos and want to learn You can also consider joining FotoAG, which more? It doesn’t matter whether you already offers a platform for all those who love photo have experience in this field, or whether you graphy and want realise photo projects, try out are simply taking your first steps in the world of new techniques and simply exchange ideas. photography, you will find a suitable course for http://fotoag-goettingen.de/ you. Studentenwerk offers photography courses for all levels. www.studentenwerk-goettin gen.de/fotokurse.html

INFORMATION EXHIBITING YOUR PHOTOS OR PAINTINGS Do you have a culture-related project in mind and need support? If you would like to display your photography, Just contact the Studentenwerk’s graphic arts or paintings, Studentenwerk offers Cultural Office and they might exhibition rooms and supports you in organi- provide non-monetary support for sational matters. It can print out your pictures your project: www.studenten and provide you with free of charge 70cm x werk-goettingen.de/kultur- 100cm frames and passe-partouts. . www.studentenwerk-goettingen.de/kultur

POTTERY

All Göttingen students can try out pottery on a free of charge basis in the ceramic studio of the KAZ. You can do it every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and every Thursday from 7.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.; no appointment is needed, just drop by! www.kaz-goettingen.de/kunst-und-gestaltung

47 MEETING NEW PEOPLE

FOYER INTERNATIONAL 4 Foyer International, a cultural programme run students. It is a great place to meet interesting by students, is a meeting place for students people from all over the world who speak En- from all over the world. International cooking glish, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Ital- evenings, film nights, language workshops and ian and other languages! much more are organised on a regular basis by www.uni-goettingen.de/foyer-international

JOIN US!

Do you plan to meet your study buddy for a coffee or tea? Or would you like to discuss different cultures, talk about university life and get to know new people? Join the InDiGU Network Coffee at the Mensa am Turm every Thursday starting from 1 pm. Of course you can also drink tea! :)

EXCURSIONS CULTURAL CENTRES

The University’s International Office also or- Göttingen has three cultural centres in which ganises excursions to German cities of politi- dance, music, art, and theatre groups can rent cal, cultural and historical interest, as well as to a room for rehearsals and regular meetings. other general tourist attractions. For more in- Many theatre and music performances, as well formation, please check www.uni-goettingen. as theme-based festivals, take place in these de/excursions. centres. www.musa.de www.kaz-goettingen.de www.stilbrvch.de

48 INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES COUNCIL OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

In Göttingen there are different national com- The ASR (Ausländischer Studierendenrat) is munities which bring together representatives elected every year and is the direct representa- of the respective countries, whether they are tion of all international students at the univer- students, scientists or working professionals, sity. It raises/promotes all their concerns and is 4 and their families. These communities organise the contact point for any problems and queries numerous social activities and offer support to you may have. those who are planning their stay in Göttingen. Contact: Phone: +49 5513922374 Indian community Email: [email protected] www.uni-goettingen.de/de/132691.html Address: Goßlerstr. 16a EG Chinese community www.uni-goettingen.de/en/305763.html Indonesian community www.ppi-goettingen.de Mexican community www.mexgoe.de, www.facebook.com/profile. php?id=100005676607028 Nepalese community nepaleseingoettingen.blogspot.com

SPECIAL SERVICES DON’T KNOW WHERE TO ASK FOR HELP? No matter what, you can BARRIER-FREE STUDYING always contact the Internati onal Office and they will try- Barrier-free access to help or redirect you to the Many of the new buildings on the central cam- right contact person! pus and in the northern part of the university are barrier-free and wheelchair-accessible. But some of the old buildings are accessible only by stairs and/or don’t have any wheelchair space. For further information about the accessibi Study assistance and technical aids lity of the buildings, including rooms, eleva- Sometimes students can better manage their tors, stairs and additionally the routes from course of studies with the help of study assis- handicapped parking spaces and bus stops to tants and technical aids. the buildings, please refer to www.geodata. uni-goettingen.de/lageplan. Study assistance Study assistants support students with disabi Barrier-free accommodation lities and/or chronic diseases in managing The Studentenwerk Göttingen offers barri- their everyday student life. This includes ser- er-free accommodation in its student houses vices such as taking notes during lectures and to students with disabilities. For more informa- seminars, processing study literature for visu- tion, please refer to www.studentenwerk-goet- ally impaired/blind students, helping with the tingen.de/studieren_mit_behinderung.html. use of libraries, etc.

49 Technical aids As a technical aid for blind and visually im- For further questions and inquiries, please paired students, the State and University Li- contact the staff of the library: brary (SUB) has installed a special electronic Tel: +49 551 39-5231, +49 551 39-22432 workplace at the Learning Resources Centre. Email: [email protected] 4 Here, an enlargement table, a Braille reading device, a book scanner, JAWS and Magic are These and further aspects of studying with dis- available to students to compose their own abilities and/or chronic diseases, such as com- texts, use the Internet, and benefit from all the pensation possibilities for handicaps and fi- library services. The Scan Service of the SUB will nancial support, can be found on the webpage scan documents from the library’s holdings www.uni-goettingen.de/barrier-free. in various text and image formats, and send the scanned material to you via email free of charge.

STUDYING WITH CHILDREN INFORMATION The University’s Family The University’s Family Service supports stu- Service dent parents by offering individual advice on www.uni-goettingen.de/ how to best combine student life with family familienservice life, and assists them in their search for suitable childcare.

DAY-CARE FACILITIES

The Studentenwerk offers 247 places in the following day care facilities:

“Kinderkrippe am Campus” and “am Wall”

“Kita Bunte Welt”

“Kita am Nordcampus” with bilingual education

I-Krippe “Farbkleckse” - integrative day care facility

EMERGENCY CHILDCARE

If your child falls ill, or regular day care is can- celled at short notice, you have the possibility of applying for free day care up to four times per year. Please note that you have to register yourself in the emergency pool at the childcare agency in advance.

FLEXIBLE CHILDCARE

In certain cases, students can receive subsidies for childcare. Please contact the Family Service staff.

50 PARENT-CHILD ROOMS STUDY SATURDAYS Various faculties offer rooms designed for working, playing and nursing babies. The rooms are Family Service offers child care free of equipped with computers, internet access, toys charge on Saturdays, held in the Learn- and a changing table. The parent-child rooms ing and Studying Centre. Study Saturdays are intended to bridge gaps in childcare, for in- also offer the opportunity to meet and stance if the kindergarten is closed in summer get to know other students with children. or if the child minder is not available. The rooms Prior registration is required. do not constitute an alternative childcare facili- www.uni-goettingen.de/en/475208.html ty, but rather an important step towards better juggling studying, a job and your family. For more information about other childcare-related topics, please refer to the For more information, please refer to Guide for Parents at universities in Lower www.uni-goettingen.de/en/128101.html. Saxony www.uni-goettingen.de/en/186498.html FAMILY-FRIENDLY HOUSING

The Studentenwerk offers a lot of one and two bedroom apartments which are designed to PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSULTATION/ meet the needs of couples with children, or sin- ADVICE gle parents who are studying at the university. Most residential areas have a playground right in front of the house and day care and schools It is often stressful coping with several obliga- nearby. tions, such as studying, taking exams, working or taking care of a child. This can result in feel- ings of being overstrained, burnout, guilt and CHILD-FRIENDLY CANTEENS AND trouble. CAFETERIAS Academic studies are not always fun. Exam There are highchairs and play corners avail- stress, inhibitions regarding speaking in front able in the canteens (Mensa) and cafeterias of of others in seminars, the pressure to perform: Studentenwerk. You can reach all dining halls all this can result in study-related difficulties by elevator (e.g. with a stroller, buggy). At the and a personal crisis. Unfortunately, it is not al- dining facilities Zentralmensa, Mensa am Turm ways possible to overcome such crises quickly and Nordmensa, there are also nappy-chang- and without any external assistance. The coun- ing rooms available. Children (up to the age of selling centre of the Studentenwerk (Psychoso- 14) of students receive complimentary meals if ziale Beratungsstelle des Studentenwerks) can their parents show the “MensaKidsCard” at the help in problematic situations so that a crisis cashier. Please refer to this page www.studen- does not result in serious problems. Please tenwerk-goettingen.de/mensakidscard.html refer to this page for further information for more information. www.studentenwerk-goettingen.de/psb.html. 51 5 LIVING IN GÖTTINGEN

CULTURAL LIFE IN GÖTTINGEN

Göttingen offers a myriad of possibilities for recreational activities. The town has three theatres, a symphony orchestra and several cinemas. Popular annual events include the Nacht der Kultur, the Jazz Festival, the International Literature Festi- val and the European Film Festival.

52 CINEMA DID YOU KNOW?

Göttingen, which in the 1950's and early 60's was a ‘film-city’, offers a wide variety of options In Germany, all movies are dubbed before for cinema and film lovers. Multiplex CinemaxX being shown on the TV or in the cinema. 5 offers a large number of major commercial If you want to watch a movie in the orig- films, mostly shown in German. Tuesday is dis- inal language, you have to search for OV count day, and there are also student discounts. or OmU next to the title or in the descrip- www.cinemaxx.de tion of the movie. OV stands for “original language without subtitles” and OmU The cinema "Lumière" mostly shows alter “original language with German sub- native, commercially non-profitable and titles”. Some TV stations offer a second thereby rarely shown films. Many films are channel on which to watch the movie in shown in the original version and are some- the original language. times accompanied by lectures and discus- sions. www.lumiere.de. Lumière also organises thematic or countrybased film festivals, like the European Film Festival. www.filmfest-goettin- In addition to that, the student film clubs, gen.de. ClubKino and Unifilm, show films in the largest university lecture halls, charging students only In summer, an open air cinema takes place in 2 Euros. These are mostly recent mainstream one of the outdoor swimming pools (Freibad films (domestic and international), screened a Brauweg). Films start at 10 p.m. when it gets few months after their regular run. darker. Make sure to bring your picnic blankets and a pullover with you! The Open-Air-Kino www.studentenwerk-goettingen.de/clubkino.html programme can be found on the Lumière www.unifilm.de/studentenkinos/goettingen/cam- webpage. pusfilm

MUSIC

Göttingen offers a lot to those who appreci- ate classical and modern music. It's symphony orchestra, founded in 1862, plays an ambitious programme which guarantees first-class con- certs. Thanks to the culture ticket, Göttingen students only have to pay a 1 Euro entrance fee. www.gso-online.de

Every year at the end of May, the Händel Fes- tival takes place in Göttingen. It is the oldest festival of baroque music worldwide and it at- tracts artists and audiences from all over the world. www.haendel-festspiele.de There are also larger musical acts which often take place in the Lokhalle and Stadthalle. In ad- Autumn is brightened by the Soundcheck Festival dition, many student pubs and bars regularly for New Music and the Göttingen Jazz Festival. host live bands. www.ndr.de/unterhaltung/events/soundcheck www.stadthalle-goettingen.de www.jazzfestival-goettingen.de www.lokhalle.de

53 THEATRES

The Deutsches Theater (German Theatre) is There are also performances at the unique the oldest theatre in Göttingen. It focuses on ThOP (Theater im OP) – the theatre in the for- 5 classic as well as contemporary plays and guest mer surgery lecture room. The plays are pro- plays from other theatres. Every September, the duced and performed mostly by students. For Deutsches Theater hosts the Theater im Innen- those who like to write plays, there is a contest hof (Theatre in the Courtyard), a festival during each September. www.thop.uni-goettingen.de which well-known actors from all over Germa- ny come to perform. www.dt-goettingen.de In addition to that, figure theatre, Kabarett (comedy acts, sometimes political), puppet Another venue, the Junges Theater (Young shows, variety shows and many amateur the- Theatre), was founded in the sixties and pre- atre groups perform in and around Göttingen. sents contemporary plays and caters to a young crowd. Some of the country's most celebrated The university culture ticket gives free entrance young author's stage the first runs of their new to most of the plays. plays here. www.junges-theater.de

MUSEUMS AND EXHIBITIONS

The Göttingen museum landscape is dominat- ed by the varied collections owned by the university. Here you will find a description of the major collections. www.uni-goettingen.de/collections

The university’s botanical gardens boast collections of rare plants from all over the world and can be accessed every day on a free of charge basis. Larger exhibitions of contemporary artists are often shown in Göttingen´s Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus). Göttingen´s Art Guild (Kunstverein) has seasonal exhibitions and a free entry for students. www.kunstvereingoettingen.de

The Apex gallery and pub is one of many small city galleries hosting exhibitions which may be viewed free of charge. www.apex-goe.de

The Göttingen city museum takes visitors for a walk through Göttingen´s municipal history and also hosts special exhibitions. www.museum.goettingen.de

For further information on Göttingen and what the city has to offer, see this website: www.goettingen.de www.goettingen-tourismus.de

54 GOING OUT

RESTAURANTS AND CAFÉS

There is a great variety of different restaurants cake, a cup of coffee, tea or cold drinks. When in Göttingen such as Italian, Turkish, Greek, In- you sit outside, don't be surprised if the waiter dian, Asian, Persian, Ethiopian, and Mexican. asks you to pay for your order immediately af- The prices are mostly student-friendly. ter it has been served. When you sit inside, the bill is usually paid when you leave. From spring to autumn, it is hard to choose which café to visit. Throughout the city, tables are set up in courtyards or on the pavement PAYING THE BILL and invite you to take a break with a piece of When you go to restaurants/cafes with friends or acquaintances, it is quite common to ask TIPS/SERVICE CHARGE for separate bills. When you ask for a bill, you will always be asked whether you want to pay In Germany, it is not common to simply leave together or separately: “Zusammen oder ge the money for the bill on the table. Usually you trennt?” “Zusammen” stands for paying to- pay the bill directly to the waiter. Just tell your gether and “getrennt” for separately. waiter/waitress "Bezahlen, bitte" when you are ready to leave.

In most restaurants and cafés, the prices ci TAP WATER ted already include VAT (value added tax) and a service charge. However, when paying the Tap water in Germany is potable. Bot- bill, people generally tip the waiter. There is no tled water is either carbonated (mit rule for what is a reasonable tip: sometimes Kohlensäure) or non-carbonated (ohne this just means rounding up to the next Euro, Kohlensäure). If you order water in a sometimes this can involve adding a Euro or restaurant, you will be served bottled wa- two, depending on the size of your bill. ter and thus will have to pay for it. How- ever, you might also ask for a glass tap You do not leave the tip on the table, instead water (Leitungswasser) when ordering you either state the amount you wish to pay or coffee or wine. say how much change you’d like to receive.

55 PUBS AND CLUBS

The city centre of Göttingen hosts a vibrant and student-friendly pub and club scene. There are no enforced closing times. Some establish- 5 ments have live music.

Most clubs and discos in Göttingen are located right in the city centre, and they also cater primarily to students. Evenings with guest DJs and theme nights are usually advertised by posters throughout the city. A “night of the clubs” in October sees live music in all bars and is definitely worth a visit. Once per semester, they even present your professors at the turn- table – such nights are always crowded.

PRACTICAL MATTERS

LIVING EXPENSES

Depending on your lifestyle, you will need a minimum of 670 Euros to live comfortably. Keep in mind that a secure financial situation is fundamental to successful studies, especially when abroad.

ESTIMATED LIVING EXPENSES FOR ONE STUDENT PER MONTH (AS FOR 2014):

Housing (rent + utilities) 200 - 300 €

Food 160 €

Clothing 55 €

Health insurance, 75 € medical expenses

Telephone, internet, radio 45 € and TV fees

Books/supplies* 50 €

Going out 50 €

Total ca. 670 €

This list does not contain semester fees. * Expenses for books and supplies may be higher depending on your field of study.

56 FOOD

Assorted food items

Loaf of bread 1 kg 1,50-3,00 €

Rice 1 kg 1,50 €

Apples 1 kg 1,90 €

Tomatoes 1 kg 2,00 €

Cheese 1 kg 8,00 €

Beverages

Water 1 ltr 0,60 €

Orange juice 0,90-2,00 €

Milk 1ltr 0,70-1,10 €

Coffee 1kg 6,00 €

Wine 1 ltr 4,00 €

Eating out

Cup of coffee 1,50 -2,50 € TELEPHONE AND INTERNET OPTIONS Salad 5,00 € If you decide to have a landline and Internet at Soup 4,00 € home, you will need to contact one of the local providers who will install these services for you Full meal 5,00 – 13,00 € at an extra cost. If you want to use a German mobile phone, you can either get a contract or use a prepaid calling card. Go to a local phone shop to learn more about options and prices. For international calls you can use call shops, ELECTRICITY which generally offer good deals.

Electricity in Germany is 220V, 50Hz AC. Plugs If you are calling a landline from a mobile are the European type with two round pins. phone or from outside another city, the Göttin- Any adapters you may need can be bought in a gen area code must be used as a prefix (0551). local electronics shop. The German country code is +49.

DID YOU KNOW

Carl Friedrich Gauß and Wilhelm Weber invented and built a 3 km long telegraph to connect the physics laboratory with the observatory to be able to send each other messages. This was the first opera- tional telegraph in the world. For special city events, the telegraph line, which is still intact, is illuminated by night.

57 RECYCLING

Recycling is a big issue in Germany. In most towns you have individual, colour-coded dustbins or skips for paper (blue), plastics/composites (yellow) compost/garden waste (green or brown) and landfill (grey). In addition, there are also public containers for glass, batteries, electrical waste and clothes. 5 There are a couple of things you should know about disposing used items:

Bottles "Der gelbe Sack" Most drink bottles are refundable and are On many plastic packages you will find a small marked as “Mehrwegflasche” or “Pfandflasche”. sign with an arrow. These packages are to be If you take the bottles back to the supermarket, collected separately from the normal garbage. you will be given a refund (Pfand). Non-refund- Therefore you will find either a big yellow gar- able bottles, like wine bottles, belong in the bage bin at your house or you will need yellow glass container (Altglascontainer). One-way bags (Gelber Sack) to collect these packages. plastic bottles go into special yellow plastic Every other week they will be collected by the bags (Gelber Sack). refuse service when put them on the pavement. Waste Paper To dispose of old newspapers, cartons etc., you Service number will find blue waste paper containers in front 400 5 400

of yourIS ch house.Recycling – NG l E Let’s sort this out together!

Residual Organic waste wastes Used paper

e.g. e.g. e.g. newspapers, magazines, cardboard, cardboard boxes, Vacuum cleaner bags Fruit and brochures vegetable waste Street sweepings Food waste Ashes Bones/Fish bones Yellow sack Diapers/Cotton wool (not raw) Hygienic paper Tea and coffee filters e.g. plastic packaging, tins, composite Meat/Fish waste (raw) Residual contents materials (e.g. Tetra Paks) Bones (raw) of tinned goods Cigarette butts Meat and fish waste (not raw) Cat litter Used glass Bread waste China Citrus fruit Only hollow glassware and container glass Earthenware e.g. preserving jars, bottles, Egg and nut shells Ceramics sorted according to colour Lawn cuttings Lightbulbs Leaves, moss Baking parchment Wilted flowers Shoes/Textiles Wallpaper remnants Pot plants Emulsion paint, (without pot) e.g. shoes, textiles, textile remnants, hardened Paper towels curtains, feather beds Soiled paper Paper napkins Photos/Slides Paper bags Pots/Pans Bulk trash ** Twigs, branches Toys No organic waste in e.g. cabinets, sofas, beds, mattresses, Video cassettes plastic bags! carpets, bicycles, washing machines, electric ranges, refrigeration units, etc.

Hazardous substances *

e.g. batteries, paints, oils, car batteries, energy-saving bulbs, fluorescent tubes, hobby chemicals, pestacides, etc.

** Application for collection with the ”Collection Request Card“ or via the * Delivery to the recycling yard: Rudolf-Wissell-Str. 5 • 37079 Göttingen Internet or via direct delivery to the recycling yard Opening hours: Mon.-Thurs. 8:00 am - 5:00 pm · Fri. 8:00 am - 2:00 pm

Postfach 3361 · 37023 Göttingen Rudolf-Wissell-Str. 5 · 37079 Göttingen Sevicenummer: 400 5 400 · Fax: 400-5417 THE CLEAN SOLUTION! E-Mail: [email protected] · www.geb-goettingen.de Entsorgungsfachbetrieb Zertifiziert nach DIN EN ISO 9001 und EfbV MEDICAL AID

In Germany, there are numerous types of doc- tors, from general practitioners (Allgemein- DID YOU KNOW mediziner or Hausarzt) to specialists in all fields. It is often advisable to consult a general It is very easy to compose the correct doc- practitioner first, who will then transfer you to tor term in German. Just add the term a specialist if necessary. "arzt" to anything that can become ill or be in pain. If you urgently need a doctor at night, during the weekend, or on a public holiday, you will Kinderarzt = paediatrician have to turn to the emergency services (ärzt (children's doctor) licher Notdienst or ärztlicher Bereitschafts- = ophthalmologist dienst). You can find the telephone numbers Augenarzt (eye doctor) in the Internet. You can also call your general practitioner: usually the answering machine Frauenarzt = gynaecologist will contain a message telling you which doc- (women's doctor) tor is currently on stand-by duty. It is also pos- Zahnarzt = dentist sible to go straight to the Accident and Emer- (tooth doctor) gency Department (Notfallambulanz) of one of the hospitals at any time.

COSTS OF MEDICAL TREATMENT

Statutory health insurance Private health insurance If you are not a private patient, your doctor will If you have a contract with a private health in- invoice your statutory health insurance provid- surance provider you will usually have to pay er directly. All you need to do is to present your the costs for treatment and medication your- health insurance card at the surgery. However, self and then submit the invoices to the insur- for some treatment and services, such as cer- ance provider for reimbursement. Take careful tain dental fillings, dentures, spectacles, con- note of the conditions of your health insurance tact lenses and particular medications, you which stipulate whether the provider will reim- have to pay an additional fee even if you are burse your costs and at what level. Depending not a private patient. on your insurance premium, certain treatments may be excluded, or you may be required to pay part of the costs yourself.

59 HOSPITALS

All hospitals, except for some private clinics, are open to all insured patients. When going to a hospital or clinic, take proof of your health insurance with you (although you're unlikely to be refused in case 5 of emergencies). THE FOLLOWING HOSPITALS IN GÖTTINGEN CATER FOR EMERGENCY ADMISSIONS:

University Hospital (Klinikum) Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075 Göttingen (0551)-39-0 www.med.uni-goettingen.de

Evangelisches Krankenhaus Weende e.V. An der Lutter 2, 37075 Göttingen (0551) 5034-0 www.ekweende.de

Krankenhaus Neu-Mariahilf Humboldtallee 10/12, 37073 Göttingen (0551) 49 63-0 www.neumariahilf.de

Neu-Bethlehem Humboldtallee 8, 37073 Göttingen (0551) 4 94-0 www.neubethlehem.de

EMERGENCY NUMBERS AND SERVICES

The numbers 110 and 112 can be dialled free of charge from any regular phone, payphone or mobile. It is even possible to dial the emergency numbers without the SIM card or without knowing the mobile´s PIN. These numbers are valid for the emergency services throughout Germany.

Fire Department, Rescue Service: 112

Police, Emergency Calls, Traffic Accidents, Assault: 110

Emergency Ambulance Göttingen: (0551) 51 79 90

PHARMACIES

Medicine, including painkillers, can only be pur- at least one pharmacy open or on call both day chased at pharmacies (Apotheke). Most medi- and night (Notdienst). All pharmacies have a cine will require a prescription, although some sign in their windows indicating which phar- (e.g. cold and flu remedies, painkillers, hay fever macy has 'Notdienst' on which date. tablets) are available over the counter. There is

60 SHOPPING FOR DAILY LIFE

Supermarkets: Open Hours The large grocery stores are usually open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. On Sundays and public holidays shops are generally closed. Bakeries are an exception; they often open in the mornings on these days. You can usually find a modest selection of groceries and other products at petrol stations and kiosks during the night and on Sundays.

Groceries The most comfortable places to shop for groceries are supermarkets (Supermarkt). Many of the large supermarket chains have stores throughout the city and offer inexpensive and good quality products.

Speciality Shops If you are homesick and craving your traditional Farmer's Market food, you can go to one of the speciality shops The farmers from the region around Göttingen which offers Asian, African or Latin American sell their products at the weekly market (Wo- ingredients like spices, herbs, etc. They are chenmarkt). The market is open every Tuesday found all over the city. and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Address: Hospital- Organic / Health Food Stores strasse. In addition, there are several shops in the city centre which offer organically-grown food and Drugstores produce (Biomarkt or Reformhaus). In Germany, drugstores (Drogeriemarkt) offer cosmetics and household products at reason- Furniture and Tableware able prices. However they do not sell any kind Some rooms to rent are already furnished, but of drugs, be it painkillers or any other medi- in case you need something else, second-hand cine. Those are only available in pharmacies furniture can be found at online markets. (Apotheke).

RELIGION

CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES

There is a Protestant (Evangelische Studieren- rishes are Protestant, a few are Catholic. Some den- und Hochschulgemeinde) and a Catholic of these parishes offer church services in lan- (Katholische Hochschulgemeinde) student guages other than German and run groups community at the University of Göttingen. They which maintain country-specific forms of wor- conduct services, provide pastoral care and of- ship. Other religious communities, such as the fer a programme of classes open for students Baptists or the Russian Orthodox Church, have and visiting scientists. Most of Göttingen's pa their own places of worship in Göttingen.

61 JEWISH COMMUNITIES

A few years ago, two Jewish communities were re-founded in Göttingen: the Göttingen Jewish Community and the Jewish Religious Commu- 5 nity for Göttingen and Southern Lower Saxony. Their activities are supplemented by a Jewish house of learning. Its doors are open to all people interested. INFORMATION For more information, MUSLIM COMMUNITIES please refer to www.uni-goettingen.de/ The Muslim student community (Islamische religion Hochschulgemeinde) offers a forum for Mus- lim students. In Göttingen, the Muslim communities are Islamische Gemeinschaft Al-Iman e.V., DITIB Moschee and Al Taqwa-Verein Göt- tingen.

TRAVEL ACROSS GERMANY

BY TRAIN

In Germany, you can reach almost all cities by train. Due to its central positioning in Germa- ny, Göttingen has excellent travel connections. The high speed train (ICE) takes 30 minutes to Kassel or Hanover and two hours to Berlin, Hamburg or Frankfurt. INFORMATION

There are different prices depending on the All details concerning train train category: the high-speed ICEs (Intercity connections as well as special Express) are the most expensive, then come offers can be found here: ECs/ICs (Intercity train) with a somewhat low- www.bahn.de/en er price, and local trains: RegionalExpress (RE), RegionalBahn (RB), Cantus (CAN) or Metronom BAHNCARD (ME) are the cheapest. If you frequently travel by train, it may be Moreover, there are discounts if you purchase useful to buy a BahnCard, which reduces your ticket in advance. You can get 25 % to 50 the price of a ticket. BahnCard25 costs % off if you buy your ticket well in advance. On 41 Euros for students and entitles you to weekends, you can profit from the "Schönes 25 % off the regular price. BahnCard50 Wochenende" ticket: for approximately 40 Eu- costs 127 Euros for students and entitles ros, up to five persons can travel throughout you to 50 % off the regular price. For addi- Germany (on local trains only). While this is tional information see: a very cheap way to travel, it is also slow. The "Quer durchs Land" ticket allows you to travel www.bahn.de/p_en/view/index.shtml all over Germany on local trains on working days (about 44 Euros).

62 TRAVELLING BY TRAIN WITH THE STUDENT CARD

With your student ID card you can travel on local trains for free throughout Lower Saxony! Amongst the numerous beautiful cities you can visit are Hannover, Goslar, Bremen, Ham- burg, Celle, Kassel, the North Sea, and many more. Don’t miss the chance to explore the wonders and interesting attractions these places have to offer!

There are also a number of smaller towns that are worth a visit, which can be seen on a day trip from Göttingen. These are a few examples of the places which you can reach within 2 hours, using local trains:

Goslar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its magnificent gates and ramparts, the medieval Imperial Palace, romanesque churches and half-timbered guild houses.

Hannoversch Münden is a small charm- ing town, situated at the confluence of the Fulda and Werra rivers.

Hameln is famous for the pied piper tale and has weekly reenactments of the tale on Sundays in the summer.

BY CAR BY BUS

Travelling by car is also an option and you don’t All long distance buses going via Göttingen need to rent one! Yes, it is very common to use stop at Göttingen main station (ZOB). the “Mitfahrgelegenheit” service: people who Just check www.checkmybus.de are travelling somewhere and have space in their cars can offer a ride for a good price. It is sometimes a cheap option and also an opportunity to meet people. www.mitfahrzentrale.de www.drive2day.de www.bessermitfahren.de www.fahrgemeinschaft.de

63 6 AFTER YOUR STUDIES

FINDING EMPLOYMENT IN GERMANY

Germany belongs to the world’s leading economies with one of the lowest levels of unemployment. Although no one can make exact predictions that will hold, according to the German Federal Minis- try the employment prospects for immigrants in Germany are excellent, especially if they are university graduates from a German university with knowledge of the German language (the number of job openings is very limited if you don't speak German).

However, if you are considering staying here after finishing your studies, you should start planning your career in Germany before you finish your degree. This information will help you to successfully launch your career.

64 ADVICE IN SHORT:

Identify your competencies, values and interests

Define your professional and personal goals

Begin a target-oriented search for specific tasks and job roles 6

Start looking for a job early on, at the latest four months before you finish studying

Make use of the University Career Centre and other services offered by the university

Take advantage of career fairs organised at the university

Don't restrict your search too much, but have your professional priorities in mind

By now you should speak German well. If not, take German language courses to improve your Ger- man

SERVICES OF THE UNIVERSITY

The Career Service of the university offers all interested students and graduates detailed information on the process of career planning, on job applications, and how to enter into the world of work in general. The Career Service staff will help you to identify your competencies, to define your professional INFORMATION goals and to develop your personal strategy For more detailed view on how to on how to approach the labour market. They work and settle down in Germany can also have a look at your documents, to- after your studies, please visit: gether with you, and give you feedback on www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/ your motivation letter and CV. See www. and uni-goettingen.de/career for more informa- www.daad.de/deutschland/in- tion. deutschland/arbeit/en/

ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS CONSULTANCY SERVICE

After concluding your studies in Germany, as The University of Göttingen offers a con- a student from a non-EU country you are al- sultancy service for start-ups to all stu- lowed to remain in Germany for the purpose dents and graduates. The advisory bu- of looking for employment for a maximum of reau provides initial basic advice as well 18 months after the end of your studies. This is as a start-up road map encompassing your chance to gain a foothold in the German issues ranging from choice of legal form job market as an international graduate. Your to possible financing for the enterprise. advantage during this period of job hunting is If certain conditions are met (technol- that you are allowed to work as much as you ogy-based and/or innovative start-up), like. Any time restrictions on working during the consultancy service can award grants this job-hunting phase have been removed due so that the idea can be developed to the to the new Right of Residence regulation. point where it can be launched on the market. http://www.uni-goettingen.de/ In order to receive a residence permit for this en/1279.html period, you have to demonstrate that you can cover your costs of living for this period. 65 6

CONTINUING YOUR STUDIES

In Germany, some 25,000 graduates obtain grammes. Göttingen graduate schools provide their doctoral degree every year – far more than an outstanding framework for doctoral stud- in any other European country. As a nation with ies by pursuing an interdisciplinary approach a long scientific tradition, Germany offers an through structured curricula, intensive super- exceptional infrastructure for research work vision, mentoring programmes and a range and welcomes international graduates. Many of tailored seminars. Please refer to www. funding organisations support foreign PhD uni-goettingen.de/phd, where you will find all students. All faculties at the University of Göt- the information you need in order to make the tingen offer doctoral degrees either as indi- right decision. vidual doctoral studies or structured PhD pro-

JOINING THE GÖTTINGEN ALUMNI NETWORK

The University of Göttingen is committed to your success, even after your graduation. As a former student of the University of Göttingen, you are welcome to join the Göttingen Alumni Network and thus to stay in touch with peers and professors and enhance your career. As a special service, the university offers further scientific education, such as expert seminars and training, which are complimentary for all Göttingen alumni. For further information please visit: www.uni-goettingen.de/alumni

66 CHECKLIST: FINISHING UNIVERSITY

Visit your faculty or your programme coordinator and make sure that you have fulfilled all the obligations related to your stay, that all the paper work is done, and that you have received all relevant information. 6 In case you have books you don’t need any more, post ads on the black boards at your faculty and/or ZHG.

Make sure all library books have been returned.

Ex-matriculate from the university (removal from the students register).

CHECKLIST: LEAVING GERMANY

Cancel all the contracts (health insurance, accommodation, mobile phone, Internet, Bahn Card, etc.). · Make sure to check in advance what the cancellation deadlines are for various contracts! · In the event of private accommodation, make sure you contact your landlord to terminate your housing contract well in advance. If applicable, arrange for your deposit to be refunded.

Close your bank account.

De-register yourself at the Residents’ Registration Office.

Organise a big farewell party

67 Images: Christoph Gebler Vicente Jiménez Miras Lars Gerhardts Daria Kulemetyeva Anna Groh Christoph Mischke Peter Heller Anton Säckl

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Publisher: The President of the University of Göttingen

Editor: Daria Kulemetyeva Göttingen International – The International Office All the information contained in this guide has been Von-Siebold-Straße 2, 37075 Göttingen carefully researched and all reasonable efforts have www.uni-goettingen.de/international been made to avoid errors. Please let us know should Design: you have any comments. Domino Werbeagentur GmbH, 2014